Dear members of the Milton Academy community,
Today we learned that criminal charges against Rey Buono were dismissed on the grounds that they were barred by the statute of limitations. While we respect this decision of the court, and the legal process and constraints under which it was made, we are deeply saddened that Buono’s survivors and others affected by his egregious transgressions may not receive the justice they deserve.
As many of you know, Milton Academy in 2016 hired T&M Protection Resources to investigate allegations of past sexual misconduct by former Milton faculty members. Their investigation determined that Buono, a former faculty member employed from 1973 to 1987, engaged in multiple incidents of sexual misconduct with students during his tenure at Milton. Buono was indicted, brought back to the United States from abroad in June 2018, and arraigned on multiple counts, actions that we commended.
The state court’s decision in Buono’s criminal case is narrow, limited to the determination that in this particular instance the criminal charges are time-barred. This ruling does not in any way exonerate Buono or excuse his heinous deeds. We stand by the findings of T&M, and condemn Buono’s abuse of minors. We again offer our sincerest apologies for the failure of this institution to protect students. Buono is, and will continue to be, banned from our campus and all Milton Academy events.
We are grateful to the individuals who came forward during the investigation, and to law enforcement and the district attorney’s office for the efforts they expended to investigate and prosecute the case. We remain committed to supporting survivors through counseling and outreach, and encourage anyone affected by these incidents who is interested in counseling support to contact Deborah O’Toole, Milton’s chief human resources officer, at deborah_otoole@milton.edu or 617-898-2286. If you wish to remain anonymous to the School, you may directly contact our independent consulting psychiatrist, Dr. Mike Jellinek, at mjellinek@partners.org.
As we continue to address serious issues from our community’s past, the safety and well-being of current and future students is paramount. With careful consultation from outside experts, we have over the years developed and implemented a comprehensive program to help prevent incidents of sexual misconduct and to respond effectively when they do occur. We work to educate and empower both students and adults to speak up against inappropriate behavior and activity. We also understand that it is critical to routinely assess our policies and training protocols to ensure we are doing all that we can to provide a safe environment for everyone in our care.
Thank you for your support throughout this difficult and important effort.
Sincerely,
Todd B. Bland
Head of School
Lisa Donohue ’83
President of the Board of Trustees
View more from the Healing and Safety Oversight Committee.
